The World's Strongest US Navy Entrusts Warships to Hanwha Ocean... Docked for Top-Level Maintenance

First Ever U.S. Navy Ship MRO Project Begins in Korea

A Historic Moment Ushering in a New Era of Korea-U.S. Defense Industry Cooperation

The world's most powerful navy, the United States, has sent one of its vessels to Korea, not for a joint operation or exchange event with an allied nation, but for another reason.

The vessel visited a domestic shipyard to receive top-tier maintenance aimed at complete restoration and regeneration.

Hanwha Ocean has ushered in a new era of defense cooperation between South Korea and the United States. On the 2nd, a historic scene unfolded as a U.S. Navy logistics support ship entered the Hanwha Ocean Geoje shipyard for maintenance.

The US Navy logistics support ship USS Wally Schir, which entered Hanwha Ocean Geoje Shipyard for trap overhaul, is docking. [Image source=Hanwha Ocean]

The U.S. Navy logistics support ship, for which Hanwha Ocean won the MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) contract, entered the Hanwha Ocean Geoje shipyard in the afternoon to undergo a complete overhaul. Marking a historic moment, over 50 key figures from both countries, including the U.S. Navy Military Sealift Command Far East, the Ministry of National Defense, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, and Geoje City, were in attendance.

The U.S. Navy logistics support ship 'Wally Schirra', which docked that day, is a logistics support vessel responsible for supplying ammunition, food, repair parts, and fuel to combat ships and other vessels at sea. It has a displacement of about 40,000 tons, with a length of 210 meters and a width of 32.2 meters.

This vessel is scheduled to undergo approximately three months of maintenance work at the Hanwha Ocean Geoje shipyard before being handed over to the U.S. Navy.

Recently, the United States has been actively considering outsourcing MRO tasks for its naval assets to allied countries with advanced ship technology and facilities, due to logistical challenges and cost issues in maintaining its operational fleet.

Hanwha Ocean secured the MRA (Maintenance Repair Agreement) and won this MRO project for the logistics support ship, based on its world-class ship technology and maintenance infrastructure.

A Hanwha Ocean official stated, "For the first time, a domestic shipyard will carry out an MRO project for a U.S. Navy vessel," adding, "We will continue the reputation of K-defense by delivering on time with our world-class MRO capabilities."

In addition to the U.S. MRO project, Hanwha Ocean is currently preparing maintenance and performance upgrade projects for vessels exported to Indonesia, Thailand, and other countries built by Hanwha Ocean.

The arrival ceremony of the US Navy logistics support ship USS Wally Schirra is taking place, attended by more than 50 officials from both countries, including the Far East US Navy Maritime Transport Command, the Ministry of National Defense, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, and Hanwha Ocean.
[Image source=Hanwha Ocean]

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.